Office for Student Success Initiatives

With our partners in Human Resources, the Office for Student Success is piloting an alternative to the University’s existing performance evaluation process.  Based on feedback from staff, we are implementing a three-year pilot that utilizes a semesterly goal-oriented approach to performance rather than an annual ratings-based approach.  This pilot will give the university an opportunity to assess the efficacy of goal and development-oriented performance management compared to rating basic job responsibilities.  We continue to utilize traditional corrective action processes to address performance issues, but we hope to see improved motivation and morale by setting shorter term goals for job performance and personal development. 

This pilot is designed to provide staff additional well-being based benefits. In the Fall of 2021, the Office of the Vice President for Student Success (OVPSS) received the results of the UK At Work Survey. Through a deliberative process of fact finding and engagement with staff throughout the Office for Student Success, OVPSS leadership develop a staff well-being pilot, that offered Student Success Staff access to four benefits (1) a 50-block meal plan, (2) $300 credit to integrative medicine, (3) a membership to campus recreation, and (4) access to TalkSpace. 

The University of Kentucky is a very special place. Our campus is at the forefront of innovation, community-building, and technology within the region, and by bringing those elements together to serve our students and the Commonwealth we created Smart Campus. The Smart Campus initiative launched in 2019 and is home to our iPad initiative earning the Apple Distinguished School designation, Esports for casual and competitive play, digital signage, the Bowman’s Friends Podcast, as well as UK Invests. Each of these initiatives works to positively impact student success through innovation and partnership and we are committed to empowering our students with the resources and experiences they need to succeed in today's world. 

In response to the evolving higher education landscape and changing student needs, the University of Kentucky has launched the groundbreaking UK Invests program. This innovative initiative focuses on holistic student development, supporting academic success while also fostering lifelong positive habits that promote meaning and purpose beyond graduation. UK Invests aligns key elements essential for student success – academic achievement, financial literacy, involvement, and wellness – with healthy lifestyle habits. By participating in campus activities that reflect these areas, students can earn real dollars that can be invested into their UK Invests account. Through collaborations with campus partners and innovative financial education, the program has been extended to over 33,000 students. Through the UK Invests program, students actively participate in customized programming covering wellness, involvement, financial literacy, and career readiness. UK has partnered with Fidelity Investments and iGrad in the establishment of the program. Through a defined process, each student participant can open personal brokerage accounts, enabling them to invest real money earned through these positive activities and promoting opportunities for increased financial literacy. For more information, visit our UK Invest page!

A first of its kind first generation study abroad program, this program is a partnership between the Office for Student Success and UK International Center, launched in Summer 2023. 60 first generation students, many of whom had never left the country or been on an airplane, are given the opportunity to spend three weeks abroad at sites in London and Dublin where they have hands on career experience with companies overseas. While abroad, students take a course and earn credit on professional development and career readiness. The students meet with employers and visit companies who have connections to UK and/or the commonwealth. The companies host panels, mock interviews and team building activities, give tours and talks, review resumes and LinkedIn accounts, and hold networking events for our students. Click here to learn more.